


A Cautionary Tale.

by Lucy_Mariogld



Series: The Pinetree Trilogy. [3]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Demons, F/M, High School, M/M, Magic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Politics, Post-Weirdmageddon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2020-09-07 04:17:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20303338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucy_Mariogld/pseuds/Lucy_Mariogld
Summary: “I can’t negotiate with them! They don’t understand what the consequences will be if I don’t help them!”After a brief stint in the local prison before being released, Dipper Pines resumes his duties.But not before trying to prepare to negotiate with the world leaders.Not to mention high school is beginning and it’s not the best time for the highly unpopular teenager to be around humans.Between high school and political debates, things slowly becoming overwhelming for Dipper Pines.And then he returns.





	1. Prologue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Here it is, enjoy!
> 
> And a big thank you to Tom for decyphering most of the cryptograms for 'Youth' and to Shay_Patrick_Cormac for decyphering the last cryptograms of them after Tom stopped.

There was a loud _ buzzt _ as the cell door opened and a female figure stepped inside the padded cell. The off-white walls were a sickly grey and a single mattress on top of an old cot sat in the corner. Human necessities sat on the other end, sitting unused despite the cell having been occupied for over a month. The woman’s heels squished against the ground, striking the padding softly.

Sitting on the dirty cot was a teenage boy, countless papers laid out before him as he mumbled under his breath. His chestnut brown hair was matted in some places, a slightly dirty orange set of pants and a shirt were stained with ash in a few spots. His bare feet were riddled with minor cuts. He looked skinny despite being well-fed. “Mason Pines?” The woman greeted, lipstick stained teeth showing through her false smile. 

“Dipper. Only the people I allow to call me that, call me that. I’d prefer it if you called me Dipper.” The boy mumbled, glancing up from his work before looking back down. “Why are you here?” Dipper finally looked up at the women, fulling taking her in. She was tall, a black shirt only just long enough to cover certain areas. She wore a striped green blouse that clashed with her makeup horribly. He let loose a small snort, thinking about how his sister would have a field day with her style in general.

Her hair was straw blonde, hanging limply like a wig across her shoulders. She didn’t seem to notice his snort. 

“I’m here to escort you to the visitation area.” She stated.

Dipper looked at her in confusion. “I thought my visitation rights had been revoked after I burnt that TV down thirty days ago.” He mumbled, thinking to himself more than asking her. 

“This situation negates the need for that. Now, come with me, Mason.” Her wicked looking smile made Dipper shiver with unease as he neatly placed the documents he had been sorting through to the side. He stumbled up, brushing his pants with the palms of his hands. Almost like a miracle, the clothing cleaned itself, shedding it’s grim. He dragged a hand through his mess of hair, it returning to the best it could manage of its former glory. 

The woman stared. His hair still retained a pale and sickly look despite how clean it appeared. Dipper stumbled forward, motioning for the women to lead him out of the cell. She slapped a pair of handcuffs over his hand, preventing a large amount of movement. He shuffled after the women, ignoring the path they were taking.

A month and five days. He had been here for a month and five days. 

The Demon King had avoided war by going into the custody of the Government. It was a simple and casualty-free path he had taken. It could of been vastly different. Back in that clearing. 

His thoughts were derailed as he watched the women pause, a guard glancing at Dipper before stiffening with alarm. The well-padded guard was shaking in his heavy duty boots, his taser held close to his chest. A smile grew on the teenager’s face, showing his inhumane caines. “Officer Daveson. How’s the family?” Dipper asked, addressing the man by his last name as the women stared down at him. 

Daveson just sternly grunted despite the fear, pressing a hand against the button beside the door as it rattled open. Dipper waved goodbye as he was led towards the visitation area. 

The visitation area of the Gravity Falls prison was more or less terrible. It was just a bunch of tables with almost broken plastic chairs. A single vending machine sat in the corner, multiple holes in the glass where people had punched through. Off-brand snacks and drinks were all that were available. It was normally quite busy at this time of day, the after lunch rush was an ideal time for people to visit the incarcerated. 

Although, today, there was no one but the man sitting at a single table, two large men with shades standing side by side by his shoulders. He was a popular man among Americans. After all, he was the Vice-President of the United States. 

Joe Biden was his visitor. 

It didn’t surprise Dipper as much as it should have to ordinary people. He had already predicted what was going to happen up until this point.

“Why hello.” Dipper slyly greeted, slipping into a plastic chair as he crossed his arms. The guards nearby snapped a chain to the cuffs that were burning his wrists slightly. 

“Mason Pines, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” The Vice-President responded, holding out a hand. Dipper instantly grasped it, feeling a rush of euphoria rushing through him as he did so. He smiled wickedly, leaning back in his chair. He wasn’t the same person he had been last summer. “That women over there is Lucinda, she’s my assistant.” 

“The pleasure is all mine. But please, call me Dipper.” Dipper just stared at the strange woman, not fully trusting her presence. 

“Alright, Dipper. Now, you're probably wondering why I am here. I’m here to propose a way out of your… situation.” He had paused, trying to describe what was going on but ended up describing it in such a senile way.

“Oh yes. You’re going to ask me to provide military support due to the fact you cannot kill any of my people and you, as an American, want to use that against other countries. I may only be thirteen but I know quite a lot more than any mortal being,_ Mr Biden. _” The cheerful tone of the conversation had completely fallen, one of the bodyguards even moving to place a hand beside his hip. Dipper twirled his finger, a blue flame following the path created by the tip. The bodyguards became even more startled. 

Dipper smirked, waving his hand as the table in front of them became alight with blue flames, hovering just above the plastic surface, too cold to burn the material. An image began to form, a map of America becoming visible. “You see, I know for a fact that you’ve divided my people across the nearby states, including Washington and California. Firstly, I’d love it if you returned all my people to Gravity Falls.” Tiny figures formed across Oregon, Washington and California, a large amount of them gathered where Gravity Falls was located.

“How do you know that? That’s classified information! Why do you refer to them as your ‘people’?” The Vice-President seemed alarmed, glancing at the woman beside him.

“Because they are my people,” Dipper replied bluntly, eyes flicking from chestnut brown to a dangerously bright yellow before returning back. “_ Didn’t they tell you I wasn’t human anymore. _ ” He smiled even wider, extremely sharp and unnatural teeth glinting. Joe seemed even more frightened. “I _ could _ end your existence right now. But there would be political turmoil if I did. You know it’s funny that you incarcerated me for ‘ _ illegal immigration _’. You wanna know something about our good old founding fathers? Most of them were illegal immigrants. But that’s beside the point. Now, I demand you revoke my crimes and free my people.”

“You can’t be serious.” Lucinda scoffed. 

“I assure you. **I AM.**” Dipper growled, slamming a hand against the table as the flames vanished in a burst. The woman jerked back, the Vice-President seemingly unfazed by Dipper’s threats at this point. Threats had become common in this conversation. There were a few minutes of silence, the tension between the two parties growing ever so slightly.

“Deal.” Was all the second in command muttered, motioning to his bodyguard to pull out a stack of paper. The guard placed it onto the table, the thick stack of paper landing with a thump.

“Sir, you can’t be-” 

“Lucinda, enough. Listen here, kid, I’ll release you from here on the terms that you provide military support should the need arise.” He laid out his proposition, thrusting the papers towards Dipper. The young man lifted the papers up, shifting through them gingerly. After a minute or so, he lowered them to the plastic table. In a flash of blue flames, a small black pen appeared in the teenager’s hand. He began to sign the papers as he thought to himself.

The month of isolation had served him well in practising at his highest calibre. He could conquer anything. But he had limits. Without recent dealings, he could barely maintain what he had left. Simple party tricks such as summoning a pen was straining at this point. The small task of summoning that map and rapidly healing the small burns the cuffs created made Dipper feel slightly dizzy. He rubbed his forehead gingerly. And with such a rapid draining of magic in this instance, Dipper felt his organs complain as his insides grumbled.

With one last flourish, he finished signing the documents. Desperate to sedate the pains, he spoke up. “One last thing, Mr Biden. I’d like to seal the deal in a more _ personal _ way.” Dipper thrust out a hand as far as he could with the chains tugging, a slight smirk appearing on his face. Confused, the man just grabbed it back, a cobalt flame bursting between them as Dipper felt the deal becoming complete. 

Guards pulled out their guns, one even pressing it into Dipper temple as he released the Vice-President’s hand. “Look!” He spluttered, raising his hands in defence as the flames completely vanished. “It’s fine. It wasn’t harmful, was it?” He asked.

The Vice-President just glanced at his hand, slightly startled. He jerked his head up, almost as if he had just noticed the guns pointed at Dipper. “Oh! No, it wasn’t harmful whatsoever. You can lower your weapons men.” The guards eased back as silence fell onto them. 

“Can I have a moment?” He asked, jabbing a finger towards the vending machine after a minute or so of complete and utter silence. “I just need a quick snack.” The man opposite him just nodded, the closest guard unlocking the cuffs. This allowed the teenager to rise to his feet. Bare feet slapped against the ground as he walked over to the machine. He twirled his hand and a few dollar bills appeared in his fingers. He yawned, inserting the cash as he pressed a button. 

A packet of off-brand, plain, Doritos landed in the chute, Dipper pressing the bent hatch open to retrieve them. He instantly walked back, being clipped to the table. A door nearby opened as he was sitting back to his seat, half-open bag of chips in his hands, a triangular chip in his fingers. “Sir, sorry we’re… late.” A familiar voice spoke. Dipper’s content mood instantly vanished, the chip in his grasp being crushed into dust. Two Agents appeared in the doorway, both holding coffee and doughnuts. 

Dipper slammed the chip bag onto the table, smashing a few.

“You **bastards,**” Dipper growled, his voice dripping with venom at seeing the two men, Powers and Triggers. The temperature suddenly dropped. “Why the **fuck** are they here?” The guards had pulled out their guns. Dipper jerked up, tiny flames licking at his feet as crystallized fire swarmed around them. He took a step forward before being yanked back by the chains connected to the table and the cuffs burning through his wrists. His fingertips became black, the runes on his arm sparking with a wicked azure glow.

“Oh shit! Someone call-” One guard shouted to another, a radio being tossed over. Dipper raised his hand above the chains.

“Stop it!” A voice Dipper hadn’t heard in quite a while cutting through. He instantly froze, hand hovering just above before looking behind the agents to see a person he hadn’t seen for a month. 

A starry blue sweater with pale white dots. A yellow skirt with a pair of signature black flats. A magenta headband atop chestnut brown hair. A pair of chestnut brown eyes wandered to Dipper’s own, a bittersweet look appearing in her eyes. 

“Mabel...?” Dipper whispered, surprise shaking in his voice. His anger instantly melted, his body returning to normal as he shoulders slouched. “W-What are... you doing here?” The young teenager tackled her twin in a tight embrace, Dipper standing stoic in surprise. Even the guards had lowered their pistols, the two Agents instantly leaving the room. A slight tear slipped from his eye, splashing onto the ground. He felt pitiful for letting emotions such as sadness slip through. 

“I’m here to get you out, silly.” She had changed so much since he had last seen her. Her braces were gone and her smile was clearer than the sky on a summer day. Her hair was shorter, cropped around her shoulders. He placed a hand against her head, fully embracing her as he felt her smooth hair. He didn’t want to let go but he had to. Slowly, turning with a stirn look towards the Vice-President. 

“Are we done here?” He said curtly, gripping onto Mabel’s hand gingerly. 

“Yes. You’re free to gather your stuff. Lucinda will escort you out and back to your residents.” The Vice-President spoke, rising to his feet. “It was nice meeting you, Mason.” He didn’t hold out a hand this time. With that final goodbye, he walked out of the room, escorted by two bodyguards. Another guard detached Dipper from the table, roughly pushing him down the hallway. Mabel walked a few paces back, already overwhelming him with new information. 

/(I)\

“-And then Waddles ate Buddy’s shoe. It was quite funny.” His twin chuckled, leaning backwards on the cot where she sat. Dipper sorted through his documents as she spoke. A box was clutched between Mabel’s hands, the teenager helping her brother sort through.“Did you know that there’s a lot of demons and people alike protesting outside, Dip?” 

“Are they? Hmmm, I haven’t really been allowed out since Monday. I was caught fighting.” He muttered those last words with utter bitterness. “What are they protesting about?” 

“Your imprisonment. I even saw Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland with them. They’ve been planning a protest for a few weeks. And then the Vice-President showed up.” She paused, almost as if she was processing the rest of his words. She glanced up, a look of confusion on her face. “Hey, what do you mean_ fighting _? Oh geez, you aren’t hurt are you?” Her concern instantly grew. She placed a hand on his shoulder as he turned and looked up at her. 

“All the demon prisoners were placed here. I’m surprised the Government figured out their crimes. I might have… gotten into a fight with Tad.” He sheepishly stated, rubbing the back of his neck. “He insulted my leadership, the flipping jerk! Most of the demons here respect me. It’s more or less mutual. Some wanted me to help them reform. It’s nice though, at least I’ve got someone on my side in this horrible place. The demons, they’re separated most of the time from the mortals which I’m less than pleased about.” Dipper explained with a hint of spite. He let loose a shutter, rubbing his rune-covered arm as he filled the duffel bag nearby with his personal clutter.

“That sounds mean.” Mabel scrunched her face, pulling out a few books before tossing them into the bag. “It’s been… lonely without you around, Dip. Great Uncle Ford hasn’t left the basement for a month. And Stan, well, Stan is doing the best he can.” She mumbled, her cheerful demeanour slipping for a second. “But it’s okay. Now you can come back. And we can have water balloon fights, eat candy until midnight, draw funny things on Ford’s hand, make fun of Grunkle Stan and-and… What am I missing?” 

“You’re missing the fact that we’ll be together. Through thick and thin, Mabes.” He chuckled, twinging his pinkie around her own with a smile. 

“That sounds better than Grunkle Stan’s Stancakes.” He smiled for the first time in quite a while.

“Exactly.”

* * *

**Zh zloo phhw djdlq, vrph vxqqb gdb.**  
**Wkh flskhuv zloo jurz lq vlch,**  
** Wkh pbvwhub wr eh xqfryhuhg.**


	2. Political Issues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I'm publishing every remaining chapter I have. As from the date of these upcoming chapters, this story has been cancelled. But Good news, there's a rewrite in the works. If you're interested, keep an eye out.

The rain pounded against the wooden roof, buckets catching the leaks underneath. Sitting on the worn wooden floor, a board game of warship between two teenagers, the third teenager sitting idly on the bed nearby as she watched. The male traced a hand across his arm, glancing up at his sibling.

Something that had been instantly noticed the moment Dipper had returned home was the fact that he hadn’t aged a day. Mabel had grown significantly taller, only by a few millimeters but it was still noticeable. Unlike Mabel, he hadn’t changed at all. At least, not physically.

“Dammit. You got them all, Dip-dop.” His twin smiled.

“Haha! I win!” He declared, thrusting a fist joyously into the air. Dipper Pines smiled, watching as his sister grumbled a little. 

“Oh, course you won.” Pacifica spoke, leaning off the bed to peer at his side of the board. “Damn Pines. How’d you always seem to win?” The blonde eased up, smiling. 

Pacifica Northwest, one of the richest people in Gravity Falls, sat on the dingy bed that probably was going to collapse any day soon. Dipper smiled, leaning back and against Mabel’s bed.

“I’m just good. That’s all it is, Northwest.” He chuckled as Mabel packed the game away and pulled out a deck of cards. She tossed them over without a word, Dipper instantly catching them. “Wanna make a bet? Blackjack?” 

“Dip, Grunkle Ford said we shouldn’t-”

“Pff. We won’t be betting anything too important. And there’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition.” Dipper stared at his twin as he spoke, shuffling the cards in his fingertips.

“Dipper, Mabel is right. We probably shouldn’t. Let’s just play ‘_ Go Fish’ _ and be done with it.” Pacifica sided with his sister. Dipper let loose a scoff.

“Too afraid of a bit of competition, Paz? Or are you too afraid to admit you’ll lose.” He joked, dealing out cards without the other’s permission. Those words seemed to have elicited a reaction from the girl. She instantly sat down picked up a deck of cards. 

“You’re on, Pines.” She narrowed her eyes playfully, glancing down at her hand before looking back up. “So, what are we betting instead of money?”

“I’ve got an idea. What if we just play truth or dare.” Mabel tried to stop them, despite being a champion of poker and blackjack, she didn’t like the current situation they were in. Dipper had returned less than a week ago and everything seemed normal so far. She just didn’t have a good feeling about this as a whole. 

“How about this, Paz. If I win, you have to do a dare. If you win, I have to do a dare. How about it?” He offered, smirking. 

“Deal.” 

They played through the first round, cards being tossed back and forth. The rain dripped from the ceiling as Mabel idly watched. Dipper bit his lip a little, looking at the cards in his hands. With a sigh, his lowered his two tens. 

“I fold. You win.” Pacifica’s smile grew as she triumphantly showed her total of cards. Twenty-one. “So, what’s my dare, Northwest?”

“Paz. Don’t do anything too stupid.” Mabel groaned, looking at the two of them maintaining eye contact. 

“Hmmm… I dare you to…. Take off your shirt.” She didn’t seem to know what she wanted to dare him to do. It was seemingly random. Reluctant to do so but, as agreed, he willingly slipped his orange-red t-shirt off. Mabel let loose a squeak, darting over as she pressed her hand against his side. A spider-like web of scars littered his skin, the biggest stretching over his stomach and across his chest.

“Dipper… what happened?” She asked, on the verge of tears. He didn’t say anything. He just sat there with a regretful look on his face. 

“Nothing. It’s fine.” He muttered, rubbing his arm.

“Hell no! That is not fine.” Pacifica’s mood had instantly shifted. She rose from her spot until she sat down on his other side, Mabel’s bed pressed behind them. “What happened?” It was more of a demand than a question.

“.... I got into a few fights… “ He said meekly, suddenly not seeming as brave as he had been.

“Dammit Dip. Of all the things… “ Mabel trailed off, letting loose a sigh. “At least you’re okay, right?”

“Yeah. Just peachy.” He grumbled, fiddling with his loose shirt before splitting into a wide, almost sadistic, grin. “But you should have seen what I did to him. Let’s just say he might need to see someone about his molecules.”

“My God, you’re acting like Bill. Again.” Mabel commented, unamused.

“Why didn’t you-” As Paz spoke, the door burst open, causing the group to become startled, dropping the cards that still remained in their hands. Grunkle Stan stood in the door, a bemused look on his face as he glanced over at the scene of Dipper without his shirt before it shifted to concern. 

“What’s going on? What happened with all those scars, kid?” Stan asked, glancing warily at them. 

“Nothing.” He responded sheepishly.

“Nothing my ass. Someone is downstairs for you by the way. I recommend that you put on a shirt.” Stan chided. Dipper nodded stumbling up as he pulled his shirt back on. With one last regretful look, he followed Stan out of the room and towards the stairs. 

“Who is it, Grunkle Stan?” He asked, the steps below his sock-covered feet creaking.

“The press and some demon claiming to be royalty,” Stan responded with a grunt. Dipper let loose a strangled sigh, waving his hands across his clothing until it reverted to a suit. Magic was nifty for so many things.

“Again? Don’t they get the point that I want to be left alone? I like to handle problems through paperwork not physical confrontation.” He complained as he stepped off the landing and into the foyer. Stan lead him through the living room and towards the gift shop. He was instantly overwhelmed by flashing light and people’s voices the moment he pushed past the door. Blindly flashes from cameras caused him to flinch. There was a loud voice that cut through the rest. 

“-and that means I am the rightful the Demon King. That imposter stole-Oh.” A blonde demon stood by the counter, bragging, until he noticed a highly unamused Dipper glaring at him. “Oh.” He squeaked out. 

Dipper narrowed his eyes, his fist clenching around the doorframe. “_ Who are you _ ?” He hissed, an air of downright spite radiating. The Press fell quiet, practically shaking where they stood. Dipper spotted the news crew among them. He strutted forward, unamused by this. The demon remained silent. “I said, ** _Who are you_ ** **?!”** He growled, enlisting a whimper from one of the press members. Dipper glanced at the press before snapping. “Get out. I’ll talk to the press later.” 

The group fled as quickly as they could, knocking a few things over as they did so. The bell echoed their exit as Dipper was left alone with the other demon, Stan having long gone. “Who are you and why are you here?”

“Thomas.” The demon spluttered out. Dipper circled the young man, looking at him. “I was told quite some time ago by Bill-”

“If you are the rightful king, where were you six months ago? Tell me, why should I let you continue to ramble your bullshit?” His eyes narrowed further as he glared at the demon. His nervousness didn’t seem to rise or fall, remaining slightly startled. 

“I’m a politician. I can be of use!” Thomas squeaked out. Dipper jerked back, slightly confused. 

“What do you mean, _ ‘politician’ _?” He questioned.

“I was part of the political group of demons pushing for change in the Nightmare Realm. That was until I was summoned and stuck between Dimensions for a while. I was promised-” Thomas spluttered out, suddenly gaining some kind of confidence which was quickly squashed.

“Well, whatever Bill promise you was a **lie.** Got it? Now get out of my home before I call my Great Uncle up here. Did I mention he owns silverware?” Dipper smiled crookedly, watching as the other demon let loose a yelp, scrambling to rush to the door. 

Dipper watched him go with slight malice, the door flying shut as a few specks of rain flew through. He was downright exhausted. He ignored whatever his family was saying, rubbing his temple slightly.

Summoning the will to climb back up the stairs, he diverged from his path, sitting down in the window seat as he glanced out the triangular window as rainwater splashed against it. With another flourish of his wrist, a stack of papers appeared along with a pen.

He chewed on the end, sorting through for the chance of something that piqued his interest. After the third sheet he had read through, something gained his attention. “What’s this about?” He mumbled, lifting it up as he squinted in the dim light. After a moment of reading, a loud “WHAT?!” echoed through the attic. 

Dipper jerked up, beginning to panic as he mumbled in frustration. “Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Of all the things!” He felt like he was on the verge of an overdramatic tantrum. Perhaps Mabel was right in saying that he was acting like Bill. The attic door was pulled open, the person in question peeking her head out. 

“Is something wrong, Dip’n’dot?” His twin asked, a raised eyebrow appearing. 

“I have to meet with the fucking UN of all things!” He screamed, frustrated beyond compare.

To him, they were just a load of idiotic mortals that weren’t even trying to fix the worlds harrowing problems. It didn’t help that he had to give a speech of all things to the board of members from across the Earth. In the grand scheme of things, it was so minimal in terms of the universe. But that didn’t mean Dipper couldn’t get made about giving a speech to a large group of moronic meatbags with barely any sense in terms of the grand scheme of things. 

It was going to be a long evening.

* * *

**Pdqb zloo wub wr ghwkurqh wkh nlqj, dqg pdqb vkdoo idlo.**


	3. The Bittersweet Fledgling

“-And that’s when he said he was a politician. Why do I need someone to do my job for me?!” He mumbled, slamming the drawer closed as he pulled out another stack of parchment. His desk, now in the open space that was once the cluttered attic, the triangular window directly behind it, was neatly organised into piles with chewed pens laying ruin among them. Mabel sat in the nook behind him, watching her twin panic as he sorted through documents. He was always burning himself out through his work now-a-days.

“You alright there?” She asked, her brother pacing back and forth. Dipper whipped around, spinning on his heels as he let loose a strange and frustrated noise. 

“Does it look like I’m alright?! I’m panicking, Mabes. And I’ve got another meeting with a group of young fledglings and their parents over some issue regarding schooling tomorrow.” He rambled, his pacing increasing.

“Dipper-”

“And that UN speech is in two weeks. Do you know how hard it is to make a speech discussing things these mortal idiots could never comprehend? And then I’ve also got to get someone to represent the mortal side. Dammit…”

“Dipper-”

“Not to mention there’s been recent rumours that some prisoners are planning a riot and the Mayor asked me to pacify the demon population during a lecture tomorrow. They want to riot because some of the guards allowed a large group of the mortal population to beat up one of the demons when he was in the showers.”

“Dipper-”

“And then there’s the news network who want an _ ‘exclusive’ _ interview from me about this whole thing, it’s in about ten minutes. They want to, I quote, ‘ _ tell my story and learn the complete and utter truth _’.”

“Mason!” Mabel shouted, finally derailing him from his rant. He looked at her, confused and wide-eyed. “Just stop for a moment.”

“Huh? Oh, s-sorry. There’s just been a lot going on… “ He mumbled, glancing down before kicking the ground with an idle foot. “I can’t help ranting sometimes, Mabes.” He was awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke.

“I know. It’s just- “ She sighed, pausing. “-you really need to relax for once. How about after your boring meeting with those reporters, we just watch a terrible movie or something?”

“But what about-”

“Enough, Sir Dippingsauce. You need to relax. Don’t worry, Dr Mabelton is on the case. I’m sure one night of relaxation won’t kill anything!” She had risen from her spot and walked over to him. She placed a pair of hands on his shoulders, with a smile that could rival Bill’s old smirk.

“Alright. But! It has to be after that meeting, okay?” He nodded along, letting loose a laugh as his sister elbowed him gently in the side.

“Of course, dummy.” She grabbed him into a hug, embracing him in a way only siblings could. She flicked him on the nose playfully, grinning like a Cheshire cat. 

The sound of people walking up the stairs sturred them to awareness, the two teenagers separating as Dipper wandered to his seat. Mabel eased herself behind his seat, legs laying across the window seat as she pulled out a ball of yarn and resumed her knitting. Appearing on the landing was a pair of figures, one of which was lugging a large amount of equipment.

A news reporter Dipper had never met prior walked forward, a smaller briefcase in her arms. “Hello! My name is Barbra, Barbra Newcrest. I’m a reporter from Salem.” She greeted, holding out a hand after placing her luggage down. Dipper eased himself out of his chair, gliding over to grasp her palm. 

“I’m Dipper Pines. Nice to meet you, Barbara.” He responded, sharp teeth glinting as he grinned and shook her hand. “And that’s my sister Mabel by the window.” Mabel waved in response, returning to her knitting a second later. “I presume that you need to set up? There’s room over there.” He pointed on the left side of the attic which had been cleared away and had remained empty for a while.

“Thanks.” The man with the equipment stated, shuffling over as he began to set up lighting and the cameras. Dipper slowly lowered himself back into his chair as he shuffled through a few papers, jotting down things as he went. He paused, biting his lip before glancing up at Barbara. 

She was still standing.

“You can take a seat if you want. There’s nothing stopping you.” His eyes darted to the seat in front of his desk, one of his late mother’s craft projects from long ago. It didn’t match with the rest of the room. It didn’t match the light birch desk or the dark blue chair he sat on either, yet it held sentimental value. 

The woman lowered herself down, removing her phone from her pocket.

The reddish glow from the afternoon sun pierced the room, bathing Dipper, and Mabel in extension, in a crimson light. He leant back in his chair, the sound of equipment being set up and of Mabel’s knitting needles the only sound in the room. It was pleasant.

That pleasantness vanished the moment Dipper opened a letter that had been sitting under a pile of government documents, a second letter sitting beside it. 

He eased it’s contents into his palms, his happy mood instantly slipping away as he read the second line of writing. Barbara looked up from her phone, seeing his mood change. “Is something wrong, Mr Pines?” She asked. 

Mabel glanced up from her knitting, a small, “Oh.” appearing from her lips. “Dip, something the matter?” 

Ignoring the reporter, Dipper just handed the letter over to Mabel, shaky hands almost dropping it. He watched his twin’s gaze reading the entire thing before her emotions shifted from concern to anger and back to concern.

“That’s ridiculous. Why would he have-” She began to say aloud before Dipper shot her a warning look, motioning to the reporter in the room. 

“Later.” Dipper simply stated, his twin clapping her jaw shut as she passed the letter back over. “Is the equipment ready yet?” He asked, glancing at the young man hovering by the camera.

“Oh-Uh. Yes! It’s all good!” The brown-haired man said, slipping from his position awkwardly as he grinned.

“Thanks Jason,” Barbra responded, rising from the seat and walking over, motioning for Dipper to do the same. Mabel sat in his chair, watching from a distance. There were two chairs set up, one facing the camera and the other just outside it’s view. He sat down, Barba doing the same as she pulled out a notepad. Jason, the cameraman, walked over, attaching something to Dipper’s shirt. A microphone he presumed. 

He sat there, one leg crossed over the other as he clasped his hands together. “So, why don’t you tell me where it started.” The reporter asked.

“Can you be more specific? There’s been at least five beginnings. My birth followed by when summer in Gravity Falls started. And then there was the beginning of knowing Bill. Then there was the next year followed by when I was in prison. So, please be specific.” He rambled, waving his hand around to illustrate his point. 

“Uh. How about you start with your summer?” Barbra didn’t seem sure with what she asked. 

“Hmmm. Alright. My sister, Mabel and I came here in what was it, Twenty-Twelve? Yeah, that sounds about right. The summer of Twenty-Twelve. We came to Gravity Falls to spend summer with our Great Uncle here at the Mystery Shack. Boy that summer was-Mabel, how would you describe our summer?” He peered over toward his desk where his sister sat. 

“FUN! But also kinda deadly. Oh and romantic.” She commented.

“Yeah, what she said. Anyway, I presume you want me to talk about Bill?” He eyed the reporter with a suspicious stare. Even when he had been interviewed after that summer, he had quite clearly refused to talk about him. But that was over six months ago.

“Who is he? What happened and how did you meet?” Barbra rapidly fired out.

“Bill. Bill Cipher _ was _ the leader of the Nightmare Realm. H-He... “ Dipper’s eyes flashed yellow before returning to their ordinary brown. He took a deep breath, hands gripping onto the two charms in his palm. 

“He was a dream demon. We-uh-first encountered each other when he tried to go into my Great Uncle’s mind to steal the combination for his safe. Dream demons can.. Kinda… take over mortal’s bodies. It’s a whole complex thing that requires the demon not to have a physical body. He-uh-took over my body to burn my Great Uncle Ford’s research later on. He didn’t succeed.” He was fiddling with the charms now, the gold chain hand out of his hand as he stared at the pair. His gaze was no longer on Barbra or the camera.

“We beat him with tickling!” Mabel’s loud voice shouted, startling them. 

“Thanks, Mabes.” He mumbled, smiling fondly.

“So, what happened after that?” Barbra was writing down everything that was being muttered despite the microphone and the camera recording it all.

“We-I won’t say that I forgave him right away but, we developed a relationship. It was just a friendship at first. Seriously, it was. Until I realized I had, sorta, developed more than a friendship with him.” Dipper felt his face flush as he thought back to those stolen moments and those secretive kisses after Ford’s return. Those gentle evenings in the woods, surrounded by the supernatural. Those rugged moments during Weirdmaggedon. 

And then he remembered those darker moments with Bill. 

“And what about the rumours that you caused Weirdmaggedon?” That question caused Dipper to jerk his head upwards, eyes flashing a dangerous yellow as he began to stutter.

“W-W-What? R-Rumors?” Barbra didn’t seem to be fazed by the yellow irises, she was still staring at her notebook between looking at him. Perhaps she didn’t notice it. Mabel had noticed it though. He took another breath. “T-Those rumours are true.” He finally admitted it. He had also refused to talk about it when they made that documentary months ago but he knew he could now. “I caused it.”

“Dip-” Mabel whispered, looking at him with concern. He shook his head, raising his palm to dismiss her comments.

“It’s fine. It’s about time that I get it off my chest. Especially after what has transpired since the beginning of summer. Yes, I caused Weirdmaggedon. I was convinced by Bill into smashing the rift which caused that contained Armageddon. It wasn’t pleasant.” He mumbled, tracing his arm.

“What happened during that time?”

“I witnessed many things during that time period. I witnessed many humans losing their lives in those black bricked walls. I saw countless townsfolk being gathered into a morbid throne. I saw Bill torturing my Great Uncle for information. I saw desperation and pleasure at the same time. Despite what he claimed, I was being starved. I didn’t receive any luxury other than the knowledge that I wouldn’t become stone. And I waited. I waited for change.” Dipper had lowered his head, glancing at the floor.

Mabel darted over to him, grabbing her twin into a hug. He was shaking, sobs threatening to break through. He allowed her to embrace him.

Yet he wiped them away, a bittersweet smile on his face.

“Are you alright, Mr Pines?” Miss Newcrest asked, staring at him warily.

After what seemed like an hour, Dipper finally answered back. “I’m fine. I’d like to continue if you don’t mind. That wasn’t the only rift. Two of them. Although, the second time the rift closed itself… it’s quite complex. Theoretically, the rift shouldn’t exist but with the constant possibility of magical and supernatural powers, it caused a tear between two sorta similar dimensions. 

“This one and which is what you mortals dubbed the Nightmare Realm. Technically speaking, all the _ ‘demons’ _ are just mortals of supernatural origin with a vastly longer lifespan. Some are immortal, like me, others eventually age and die. It just takes a really, really long time. Demons were just a title mortals slapped on us millions of years ago. You really do like to label things.” He explained, it slowly turning into a scientific rant. “Although the immortal ones still age up until a certain age. I think it was twenty… or was it nineteen? We’re all called immortals for the ease of it.”

“Was Mr Cipher immortal?” Barbra asked. Dipper paused, digging through his memories.

“Well… he was a dream demon. Dream demons don’t have flesh and bones in the Nightmare Realm, making him immortal but in this reality, you know, the one we’re sitting in now? He was mortal. He could die.” Dipper hesitantly answered. 

Despite the length of time in which Bill had been dead, it still struck him like a bus whenever he mentioned the demon’s death. It was a struggle getting over the loss of his old lover. Life was just hard without him in general.“And he died.”

* * *

**Uhphpehulqj wkh sdvw lv gliilfxow, prylqj rq lv hyhq kdughu.**


	4. Unanswered Questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N WE ARE BACK FOLKS! I couldn't let this die, not like this. Gotta make the corpse look nicer first. ;)
> 
> Enjoy this admittedly short chapter. I'll post some more once my schedule clears up. 
> 
> So please, Enjoy.

“How did he die, Mr Pines?” The reporter asked. 

“The Zodiac Wheel. He turned into stone.” He bluntly replied, glaring at Mabel in the process. 

The past had not been forgotten. And it seemed Dipper wasn’t ready to let it go. Mabel flinched from his gaze, discovering that the floor looked a lot more interesting as she moved away from him.

“Hmm. So, what happened after that?” Barbra hummed, glancing up at him randomly.

“I became the Demon King. Wasn’t such a great idea back then. I mean, the demons were revolting in the streets and there was this whole thing with the corrupt and unfair Government. Eh… that wasn’t pleasant either. I’d rather not talk about what happened after that. It was… quite… personal. Why would you even want to know of this, anyway?” His mood had rapidly shifted, his eyes twitching slightly. There was a rapid flash of orange light followed by a loud thump as something landed on his desk, staringly almost everyone else in the room. Dipper eased out of his chair rather quickly, darting over to the table. 

“Hey! We haven’t-” The reporter instantly protested.

“You should leave.” He bluntly responded, turning to stare at her, dead in the eye, bright yellow flashing and glowing.

“But we-”

“-came all this way? I’ll have someone get you back nice and quickly.” He rapidly picked up a notepad, scribbling something down with a worn pen. He tore it from the pad, folding it neatly before it vanished in a swirl of blue flames. He paused to check his watch before a flash of orange light filled the room. “Quicker than last time, huh. Nice to see you, Buddy.” Dipper flashed the new arrival a smile as Barbra let loose a sudden shriek. 

“Nice to see you too. It wasn’t like I was trying sort through The Archives Of The Lost for you or anything.” He grumbled, ruffling his ginger hair with a scowl on his face. 

“Why were you sorting through things, Buddy?” Mabel asked, already darting over to him as she brushed off some dust from his sweater.

“Trying to find-”

“That’s not important!” Dipper rapidly interrupted. “Buddy, if you’d be so kind as to transport Miss Newcast and her lovely cameraman back to Salem, Massachusetts for me, that would be wonderful.” 

“Like, this year Salem or-”

“You know what I mean.” He growled, narrowing his eyes as Buddy let loose a chuckle. Between the conversation, the cameraman, Jason, had already packed up his equipment. Barbra was still steaming where she stood, a silent yet frustrated look on her face.

“Okay. Okay. C’mon, ma’am.” He grabbed hold of the two, disappearing in a swirl of orange sparks. Mabel let loose a huff, crossing her arms as she trotted back to the desk.

“He keeps brushing me off.”

“Who?” He glanced at his twin, confused. She idly fiddled with the hem of her sweater sleeves, nibbling on her lip.

“Buddy. He keeps trying to avoid talking to me. And when he does,” She gave him a swift whack on the arm. “YOU interrupt us.”

“Hey! He’s my assistant! When he’s working you’re-”

“‘-_ not suppose to talk to him _.’ I get that, Dipper, but he can’t always be off doing-” He let loose a scoff, placing his hands against his hip with a scowl on his face.

“What he does is important. He-”

“Stop interrupting me for fuck’s sake! Buddy doesn’t need to rush around doing everything for you! You can do what he does with even more ease from what I’ve seen!” She angrily shouted back. 

“I can’t! I can’t, Mabel!” He slammed a notebook against the table, his eyes tinted yellow. “Haven’t you noticed?! You-You said yourself! I’m acting like-”

“-Bill. Oh, Dipper, it’s probably nothing.” Mabel frowned, easing a hand onto his arm. “After everything, I’m surprised I haven’t gone a bit funny, either.” Dipper let lose a strained laugh, ruffling his hair slightly. 

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s nothing.”

* * *

**Qrw hyhub txhvwlrq kdv ehhq dqvzhuhg, vrph eduhob vr. Bhw wkhb zloo eh dqvzhuhg lq wlph, dqg lq wlph lwvhoi kh zloo jurz.**


	5. Into the Woods.

“Dipper, can you come downstairs for a minute?” Stanford Pines’ voice echoed up the stairway. Dipper lowered his book, peering down the stairwell from his chair nearby. 

“I’ll be down in a second!” He shouted back, shutting the book closed and placing it back on his desk. He glanced to the corner to where Mabel was busy trying to construct her own desk, giving him a smile before Dipper turned away. He practically flew down the stairs, pausing at the edge of the steps. Ford stood by the entry to the house, seemingly fiddling with something. “What’s up, Grunkle Ford?” 

“Oh, there you are Dipper, my boy! I was wondering if you wanted to assist me with a little experiment.” Ford greeted, a shaky smile appearing on his face as he spoke.

“What kind of  _ experiment _ ?” Dipper asked, mildly confused.

“Well, I was planning on figuring out how that rift closed itself a month ago. But my research has been quite limited. All the creatures from the Nightmare Realm seemingly don’t want me around there.” Ford began to explain, withdrawing his third journal and passing it over. 

“Oh, nice! I’m guessing you want me to come with you because you can’t get past them?” Dipper peaked up, smiling  enthusiastically . “You know what? I’m in!”

/(I)\

The pair of them walked through the forest, Stanford wearing his famous trench coat as Dipper just wandered after him, examining the environment whilst asking questions. “Why are you so interested in the rift, Great Uncle Ford?”

“Well,” He paused. “Remember how I said the first rift caused quite a lot of anomalies? For some reason, there’s barely been any, to my knowledge, since the second rift opened.”

“I heard from Buddy that they were working to contain  _ something _ but I don’t quite know what,” Dipper added, climbing over a lodge before Ford halted him in his tracks. Before them stood a large wooden wall, a makeshift gate signifying the opening to the place. People stood atop the wall, one pausing to look down at them. 

“ _ Garrison _ ?!” Dipper shouted, recognizing the demon peering down at them. 

“Hey! It’s the King! He’s here!” Garrison shouted, other demon guards rapidly gathering and peering over the wall. “What’s taken you so long, man?” 

“Oh, you know, being in jail and dealing with some other stuff kinda doesn’t really allow me to get out as much!” He chuckled, raising a hand to cover his eyes from the sun. “Do you mind letting me and my great uncle in?”

“We were just going to examine some residue left from the second rift! For scientific reasons of course!” Ford bluntly added.

“Oh, yeah, man!  _ PULL THE GATE UP!” _ Garrison shouted, the demons near him instantly running around like ants as the gate creaked open. Dipper ushered Ford after him as they stepped through, a wonderful sight greeting them. Homes shaped like trees with countless summer buds darted across them, beautiful pathing lined with curled, plant-like lampposts leading to an ornate statue with a fountain in the centre. An ornate statue that didn’t look human, rather a combined attempt at sculpting a human woman, large horns carved delicately as a pair of wings jutted outwards, a copper sigil decorating the bottom. Shops lined the paths, from a simple tea shop to one that seemingly sold weapons, countless demons wandering around. Children pranced around the fountain, some wearing matching outfits as the ones with long hair had them braided by the other children. Most were in human form, a few wandering around in their natural demon forms. 

Dipper turned to see his great uncle just staring as if he was struggling to process the information in front of him. He seemed alarmed, almost afraid. A few children had spotted Dipper at this point, a group of young girls bouncing forward. The smallest, a young raven-haired girl with greyish eyes glanced up at him. “It’s  _ him _ !” One of them hissed.

“It’s him! It’s him!” They murmured excitedly together like a babbling river. The small gathering of children was parted by Buddy as he walked through, grabbing both Ford and Dipper, dragging them away.

“Hey, Dip! I thought I heard people shouting that you were here. Garrison doesn’t really shut up, huh? Nice to see you, Stanford.” Buddy pulled them further into town.

“Uh, Bud-” Ford tried to say something but was swiftly cut off by Dipper.

“This place is wonderful. I’ve heard about it but I didn’t know it was this incredible. How’d you do it?” He exclaimed, Ford’s voice letting loose a grumble.

“A bit of time, some patience and a few mishaps but we worked hard. I think the flora demons are enjoying it the most,” He laughed. “So, what are you two doing here? I get Dip but you, Stanford?” Buddy placed his hands on his hips, releasing Dipper and Ford from his grasp. 

“We’re here to examine the area where the second rift, see if we could find any residue.”

“‘ _ Residue’ _ ? I dunno what that word means but okay!” Buddy lead them through the town, almost a city, to a large clearing at the back. 

There were a few crops, but otherwise, the patch of land remained unscathed. All except for the winding tree in the centre, a large pine tree with dark  _ blue _ foliage, almost as tall as the other trees at the edge of the clearing. “We cleared away most of the trees, for construction of course. And we’ve started growing crops here, too. The funny thing is, we can’t destroy that tree. No one’s gone near it since we tried.”

“Do you think it might be something from the residue, Great Uncle Ford?” Dipper pondered, tapping his chin as he looked at it.

“It’s possible. I’ll have to get a sample to be sure.” Stanford bent down, withdrawing a small zip-lock bag from his coat and holding his journal upwards to Dipper. “My boy, could you hold this, please? And do you have a marker?”

“Sure thing.” Dipper grabbed hold of Journal 3, easing it under his arm as he rummaged through his own pockets. He pulled out a half-chewed pen. With a sheepish look, the young teen passed it over to his great uncle. Ford rose up, holding a small zip-lock bag and a pocket knife. Together, they walked towards the tree. 

The tree created a lot of shade, a few specks of light coming through the thin leaves and bathing them with an afternoon glow. Stanford had eased himself down in the shade, a small sample on his lap as he investigated it, journal laying beside him, it’s pages wide open. The late summer air around them smelt of  heliotrope, scents of marzipan, vanilla and cherry pie wafting with the breeze. Dipper eased a hand along the tree, feeling the sheer energy and power vibrating from it. There was a sweet, almost welcoming feeling as he ran a hand along with the curved and ornate shapes of the bark, sparkling light trailing in his path. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s an anomaly, that’s for sure.” Ford chuckled, adjusting his glasses. 

“Yep. A beautiful anomaly.” He smiled, joining Ford in his laughter for a moment. “Hey, what’s this?” Dipper tilted his head, looking at the marking that conformed into familiar shapes. The teen crouched down, looking carefully at the words carved into the wood. 

“Did you find something interesting, Dipper?” Stanford lowered the sample, stuffing it into his coat as he moved over. 

“Just some demon runes. That’s weird.” He moved back, placing his hands on his knees for a moment. 

“What do they say?” 

“That’s really weird.” He paused, glancing at Stanford before taking a deep breath. “ _ ‘Sixty degrees that come in threes. Watches from within birch trees. Saw his own dimension burn. Misses home and can’t return. Says he’s happy. He’s a liar. Blame the arson for the fire. If he wants to shirk the blame, he’ll have to invoke my name. One way to absolve his crime. A different form, a different time.’ _ ” Dipper moved around the other side of the tree, glancing upwards. “There’s more up here.”

Stanford was rapidly writing it all down into another notebook. “What does that one say?”

“ _ ‘Oh little star, so bright and full of might, why does the pine tree stand alone? Why can’t we ever go home? Who’s to blame for the fire? Is it I who is the liar? Why do we fall so far from grace, into the abyss so black as space? The shooting star, so strong and bright, when will you say goodnight? _ ’” He muttered, walking around the last part of the tree he hadn’t seen to discover a third poem. “There’s one last one here, Grunkle Ford.

“Well, read it out! I’m writing them down, anyway, my boy!”

“ _ ‘A lone standing pine tree, far from the lands free. Gave his life to a flame. Tries to accept all the blame. Says he’s happy. He’s a liar. Though he still grieves, the young boy, so strong and naive, will be the downfall of The-’ _ ” Dipper paused. Hands shaking and wide-eyed. “ _ ‘-The Demon King.’ _ ” 

“The Demon-Isn’t that what they call you?” Ford’s voice had become growingly concerned as he glanced at Dipper from behind the tree. “Dipper-”

“It’s fine. It’s absolutely fine. But what if-No, it couldn’t be. He can’t do that, he-But what if he does? N-No. He couldn’t-But could he? No. That’s impossible. Too impossible. Unless Bill-Maybe? Ugh!” He rapidly mumbled it, crossing his legs slightly as he just floated there, lost in thought. 

“Dipper-” Ford began as he moved to place a hand on Dipper’s shoulder. The teenager jerked to the side, fright appearing in his eyes only for a moment. “Are you-?”

“I-I’m fine! J-Just thinking! H-Ha ha… ha..” He mumbled out. He turned away slightly, a shaky smile appearing. “I think we should head back to the shack. We’ve got all the samples we need, right?”

“Uh… yeah. Sure. We can head back if you want. You might want to tell your friend that we’re leaving though, kiddo.” Stanford seemed on edge, carefully slipping his notepad back into his coat before giving Dipper a pat on the back.

He watched Dipper go, worry lines etched into his face as a frown appeared.

* * *

**L vdz d ira eb d udeelw kroh, brx vdz d sulqfh iurp d idlub wdoh.**


	6. In The City of Lights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Hey everyone. Sorry for such a long break between chapters. Things have been happening in my personal life that's affected my stories, including getting sick with a cold.

“Hey, what are you doing leaving so soon?” Buddy stopped Dipper in the centre of the town, a concerned look on his face. Dipper paused, glancing at Buddy. “At least let me show you around a little.”

“I-Oh alright.” He caved, allowing Buddy to lead him further into the city. Each street looked different from the last. Despite the majority of homes being quite literally made of the forest around them, there were a few different ones. Some homes made of stone, mossy bracken under the windowsills, whilst a rare few homes were made out of crystalline material. As they walked, Buddy led him over to countless people, many of whom lived in the homes they stood by. A small family, a single mother and her two sons, a pair of gay men who were already planning on having a child, a group of young teenagers, an elderly couple and even an overwhelmingly large family of fifteen. Each seemingly thriving in their own way. 

Walking through the fifth street, a sudden body slammed into him, toppling him over. “Oh Kings! I’m sorry. I wasn’t-” A female voice scrambled to explain until the girl who looked around his age lifted her champagne pink hair from her face. She looked quite embarrassed, her face flushing a deep crimson. “ _ Oh _ .” She squeaked. 

“I-uh. It’s okay! I’m fine. Are you… alright?” He asked, dusting his vest off as he rose to his feet.

“Oh! OH! Y-Yeah. I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” She mumbled out after a moment. “I’m, uh, Primula.”

“I’m Dipper. Nice to meet you.” He held out a hand, an offer of help. “Why were you running?” She grabbed onto his hand as he tugged upwards. She stumbled up, a smile appearing on both their faces.

“My friends ditched me. They said they saw the King in the town centre and we were gonna head there. Honestly, I’m not too interested in the whole thing.” At the point Dipper had realized that this girl, Primula, hadn’t recognized him for who he was. He could honestly say that it was refreshing. 

“They don’t sound like good friends if they ditched you.” He chuckled. 

“Ugh. I know! They’re family friends. My mother says I have to hang around them. She still thinks we have  _ ‘power’ _ . Like I get that my family was rich once but as if I care.” Primula let loose a huff, trotting over to a nearby bench and sitting down in it. 

Dipper followed, easing himself down beside her as he spoke. “I know. Like, c’mon, can’t I be normal for once?” He joked, idly fiddling with his orangish-red t-shirt. Primula laughed with him.

“So, what demon are you, Dipper? You new? Cause I haven’t seen you around here before.” She questioned, neatly pinning up her hair as she did so. 

“I’m an odd one, to say the least. No, I’m not new, I just haven’t been… around.” He paused, glancing at her. “What about you? How long have you been here?”

“Floral demon.” She muttered. “We  _ used to be _ high ranking kinda demons, at least that’s what mother told me. My family came three weeks ago, I’d say. A couple weeks after the first group, at least. Do you know what happened to the King? All I’ve heard was that he wasn’t around.”

Of course the conversation had looped back to that. “I-”

“DIPPER! THERE YOU ARE!” A loud shout echoed from nearby, Buddy being the source as he rushed over to the two on the bench. “I was looking everywhere for you. There was a bit of a crowd forming in the town market and I thought you were there cause I heard some girls talking about it but I couldn’t find you there-” Buddy spluttered out. “Who’s she?”

“Hi. I’m Primula. And you are?” Primula offered her hand, smiling. 

“Name’s Buddy.” He stated before turning to Dipper. “Where did you get to?” Buddy sounded impatient, almost as if he had something else to do at that point in time.

“None of your business. I just happened to meet Primula here and that was it.” Dipper replied bluntly. 

“Whatever! I’ll be here.” Buddy thrusted a small piece of paper into Dipper’s chest, storming off. 

“What’s his deal?” Primula grumbled, crossing his arms as they watched Buddy rush off. Dipper just shrugged, unfurling the note and glancing at what was written on it. It seemed like an address,  _ 1 Bills Street _ .

“ _ Bills Street _ ? That’s where all the politicians live. Right by the King’s place from what I’ve heard.” She said, Dipper looking up at her. “You want me to show you there?”

“Sure.” He nodded, rising to his feet. “But do you mind if we don’t take any major roads? I don’t really like crowds that much.”

“All good. The quickest route is through the allies anyway.” She got up as well, walking backwards as she spoke. “So Dipper, you planning on going that  _ ‘highschool’  _ thing when this season ends?”

“Yeah. Are many demon’s planning on going to schools? Are you?”

“Yeah. My mother is thrilled for us to do it. She’s got my younger sister, Rosa, enrolled in that ‘ _ Middle School _ ’ place.” Primula lead him through allies between homes, the shade of many trees covering them. It still smelt of heliotrope. “I don’t get it. Demon’s never really had  _ ‘schools’  _ before. I think it’s because some of the politicians want to push us to befriend humans and stuff. Do you know any humans yet?”

“Yeah. I do. Quite a lot of humans. They’re not as bad as some would say.” His voice was filled with sincerity, a smile appearing on his face. Primula let out a sigh, leading him further down the alleyways. After a few minutes of walking, she pulled him into the open, large and ornate trees framing the courtyard. “Woah. This is cool.”

“That’s the King’s place right there. And the other ones belong to the politicians. Most of them are quite powerful but I heard a few physical demons got in. I mean, technically, we’re all physical now but eh.” Primula stated, first pointing to the house in the centre. And then Dipper noticed the crowds. Countless people were standing near the centre house, many with young children with them. “What number house did your friend say again?”

“Number one.” Primula gazed at him from the side, a suspicious look on her face. 

“Are you friends with the King or something? That’s his house.” She was staring at him now.

“Y-Yep! C’mon!” He grabbed her by the hand, instantly darting around the crowd. Everyone started shouting, pointing at him and beginning to swarm around them. Dipper pulled her closer, heading to the back of the house. He spotted Buddy on the back deck, clearly watching out for him. “Buddy!  _ OPEN THE DOOR _ !” Buddy became startled, staring at them as they rushed forward. They ran up the stairs, Primula tumbling inside in front of him. Dipper slammed the door closed, letting loose a sigh of release. “Non-existent Gods, I hate crowds.”

“Oh my Kings,” Primula exclaimed, glancing around at her surroundings. Dipper looked around, seeing his pine tree motif everywhere. 

They stood there in the kitchen, the benchtops made of dark wood, drawers and the backsplash a deep navy blue. A rustic circular wooden table sat in the corner, surrounded by wooden chairs. He saw through the opening to the kitchen to an ornate staircase, plush blue carpeting lining the floor. He glanced back at Buddy who stood by the benches, a box of cereal, a bowl and a few empty cans of Pitt Cola on the bench beside him. 

“Before you ask, I was having lunch.” Buddy sheepish spoke, picking his bowl up. Primula had already wandered to the foyer at this point. “Oh, and I didn’t touch the bedroom they made you. I’m gonna finish my lunch. You can-” He paused sticking the spoon into his mouth. “-explore if you want to.” He spoke between crunching on cereal.

“Uh, sure. Pass me a few drinks though.” Buddy turned on his heels, opening the fridge to withdraw two cans of Pitt Cola. 

“That Mayor donated a bunch of stuff by the way. To the town and to this place. I think he was emptying something out when he did.” He mentioned, passing the cold drinks over. Dipper nodded, leaving the kitchen and stepping into the foyer. Primula was glancing at the paintings lining the wall, staring at the few paintings of Bill that lined the walls. There was a bittersweet taste in his mouth as he glanced at them. He had heard that they were donated by a budding artist from the water district.

“It’s a nice painting isn’t it?” Dipper muttered, Primula seemingly startled by his sudden appearance. “Care for a drink?”

“Uh. Sure, I wouldn’t mind a drink.” He passed the can over, opening his own. “This place is amazing. I wonder what’s up the stairs.” 

“Well, then let’s find out.” He smirked, walking up the banister, hand tracing along the wooden railing. The landing was nothing special, a small table with a pot plant nearby. There were three doors, each identical as the last. One in the centre, one off to the left and one to the right of the centre one. Dipper wandered to the left one, Primula following swiftly behind. Opening the door, he was greeted by a bedroom. A king-sized double bed sat in the middle of the room, a simple blue quilt over it. There were a few pillows but it was otherwise simple. A bookshelf lined the wall to his right, balcony doors directly in front of them. A dresser with a mirror sat beside the bookshelf, two bedside tables made of dark oak beside the bed. It was exactly to his tastes, from the bedsheets to the books on the shelf. Atop the dresser was a golden object, shining in the afternoon sun. A crown.  _ His _ crown. 

“This is a nice bedroom. It’s rather simple though, isn’t it?” She questioned, wandering over to the bookshelf. Dipper silently walked to the dresser, picking up the crown between his fingers. “What are you doing?!” She hissed, spotting him holding the crown. 

“Just looking! Geez, calm down.” He let out a huff. Part of him still wasn’t prepared to tell her. He didn’t want to change this. He just wanted a new friend who didn’t care about his status. Dipper placed it back down, spinning on his heels as he left the bedroom and opened the furthest door, the far right door. It was a study.

A singular desk sat in the centre, a window behind it. The curtains were drawn, meaning the room was quite dark. Dipper flicked his wrist, every candle in the room burst alit with tiny blue flames. It bathed the room in a cool light, showing every that had previously been covered by shadows. Bookcases on either side, a comfortable wooden chair behind the desk. Two fine chairs sat in front of the desk, another chair in the corner by one of the bookshelves. A small table sat beside the chair in the corner, a pile of books already scaled high. This was his study.

“Woah. This place has so many books! I haven’t seen this many books since I went to the Archana Library when I was younger. The library wasn’t that big though, more so just a tiny place squashed between two bigger places.” Primula murmured, appearing behind him. “This must be the King’s study. We probably shouldn’t go inside. I mean, he is your friend but should we really be snooping around that much?”

“I don’t think he’d mind,” Dipper said with a slight smirk.

“DIPPER! THERE’S A POLITICIAN HERE TO SEE YOU!” Buddy’s voice echoed up from the foyer. Dipper darted to the banister, glancing down at the figures below.

“ _ Thomas _ .” He hissed out, seeing the same demon who had interrupted him once before was back. And the little blonde prick wanted something. He turned to see Primula suspiciously glaring at him. “I’ll deal with this, he’s probably after the King, you know.” He offered a petty shrug as he darted down the stairway. “ _ What do you want? _ ” 

“I-I heard you were in town. I was-”

“I’ll stop you there. What do you  _ really  _ want?” Dipper glared at him, hands placed on his hips.

“I heard, well saw, that people where-what I’m trying to say is, you need my help.”

“How so?”

“Well, first of all-HEY!” Buddy had grabbed Thomas by his armpits, a threatening smile across Buddy’s face.

“I think you should leave, man.” He spoke as he proceeded to drag the demon out before he could protest. 

"H-hey! You need me! You don’t deserve that title you-” Thomas shouted. Dipper heaved a sigh, shutting the door behind them, cutting the demon’s words off.

“What does he mean?” Primula stood half-way down the stairs, her pink hair curling around her shoulders as she tilted her head to the side. She showed no emotion, a completely expressionless look on her face. “I said, what does he mean, Dipper? You haven’t been telling me the truth have you?” Vines started to snake around the banister, thick and thorny as roses bloomed.

“Just hear me out, Primula. It’s the case of me lying to you it’s more the fact I didn’t tell you stuff.” Dipper began to explain, walking over to her. “I just got bored of everyone treating me differently because of my title and I-”

“You’re the King, I know.”

“I-wait, what? Y-You did?” He sputtered out.

“Of course.” She didn’t elaborate. The vines stopped growing, pausing.

“Why didn’t you say anything before?” 

“Because! You were acting so normal and genuinely wanted to hang around me! No one has ever really done that. I thought we could become friends or something. I mean, I know we only just met but seriously, no one has  _ ever _ treated me that nicely.” She explained, moving her hands around to elaborate. “And-”

“I just wanted someone who didn’t treat me like God. It’s so…” He eased himself down until he was sitting on the stairs.

“Exhausting? Yeah. I get ya.” She sat down beside him. “My Mother used to only care that I was female. You know, for marriage and stuff? Since the whole move from the Nightmare Realm, everything has been… different. There’s new rules. Some of the old ones have been forgotten and I can actually do what I want now. I guess I gotta thank you for that, huh?”

“I wasn’t the only one pushing for change. Heck, I was quite literally pushed into a position of leadership at the start. My old assistant, Tad, said the demons used to push for change quite a lot during Bill’s time.” Dipper sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“Bill’s time was.. Interesting. I’ve only been in existence for about fourteen years. I wouldn’t know too much but it was certainly grim back then according to my mother.” She let loose a sigh. “What was he like? Bill, I mean.”

“Bill was…-” Dipper paused, a million thoughts running through his head.  _ Abusive, a monster, a terrible person...  _ “-alright.”

“Was it true that you and him….?”

“What is this, some kind of interview? Of course, we were. That was… a long time ago though. A really long time ago.” He was being blunt, slowly becoming stand-offish.

“Oh. Alright.” 

There was a sudden knock on the door, starting off soft before ending in a bang. Dipper jerked from his spot on the stairs. He paused, turning around to see that Primula had vanished, leaving a patch of leaves, moss and rosebuds behind. With a sigh, he opened the door. There on the doorstep, dressed in a yellow chamomile sweater with flowers in the centre was his twin. Mabel stood there with sheer impatience in her posture, shifting back and forth on her heels whilst fiddling with something between her fingers. Behind her stood both Soos and Wendy, the two of them looking in confusion at the now diminishing crowd behind them. “Hi guys!” Dipper chirped, waving in greeting. 

“Dipper!” Mabel tackled him instantly on the ground in a tight hug. 

“Hey dude-bro, what’s with that crowd outside?” Soos asked as Mabel released him from her bird-like capture. 

“Probably just cause I was around, honestly.” He rubbed the back on his neck, awkwardly shuffling his feet.

“You gonna let us in, dude?” Wendy proceeded to question, pointing inside as she did so.

“Oh! Oh, sorry! I wasn’t-Sure!” He squeaked out, flinging the door open further. The trio shuffled inside, Dipper easing the door closed behind them. Mabel let loose a gasp, flinging her arms upward before letting loose a shout.

“IT’S AMAZING!” Her voice was ear-splittingly loud, almost everyone covering their ears in surprise. Wendy had wandered over to the banister, running a hand along the grove with slight interest. 

“Dipper-Oh. Hi!” Buddy’s voice echoed from above, the older demon waving in greeting from the landing. “Nice to see you guys! Anyway, this is for you, Dip.” Buddy chucked a parcel down.

“Ah!” Dipper moved his arms around in an attempt to catch it but failing as he tossed it back and forth, Wendy eventually catching it for him. With a sheepish look, he carefully took it from her, unravelling the string tied around the brown paper box. 

“What is it? What is it?” Mabel questioned, bouncing beside him.

“I don’t understand. How is this possible?! Those were destroyed-no. No no.” Dipper rambled, dropping the box as he began to pace back and forth, muttering words under his breath. Mabel picked up the box, withdrawing a smaller box. It was a small jewellery box, black in colour. She popped the lid open, seeing the shining gold objects look up at her. 

A pair of cufflinks.

* * *

**VDYLQJ ORYH. Olqh 30. **

**Ehbrqg wkh Uhohdvh, Wkh Sdvw lv wkh nhb.**


End file.
